I got my bow out again yesterday and started to shoot it again after sitting since last October. I've got a big purple knot on the inside of my arm from my string. I've never had this problem before. What am I doing now to cause this so I can correct it?

Nice double cam system!! Cranky, that is very dangerous.. I knew a guy that got a blood clot in his hematoma and died about 2 hours after.. Be sure not to straighten your arm all the way and watch your grip.. (This is your bow I'm talking about )

I got my bow out again yesterday and started to shoot it again after sitting since last October. I've got a big purple knot on the inside of my arm from my string. I've never had this problem before. What am I doing now to cause this so I can correct it?

Seriously, Cranky Farmer, your problem with hitting your arm is that you may have changed the way you hold the bow in your hand. Do you shoot a recurve/long bow or a compound bow. If you shoot a compound bow, the string hitting your arm usually indicates that your bow has a draw length that is too long for you. When I shot for Mathews Archery years ago, I used to instruct young people how to shoot properly and set up bows for their measurements. One of the things I harped about was shooting with a bend in the elbow. This acts as a shock absorber for the recoil of the bow and enhances the push-pull technique. Alot of people want the longest draw possible for their arm length so they can attain greater speeds from the extra draw length. While speed is good, accuracy and shot placement are better. Grip is also very important as a tight grip on the bow will cause you to torque the bow upon release of the string. I shot with an open hand. My thumb and index finger were around the grip but not touching. This afforded the least amount of bow torque possible. If your bow is properly set up for your draw length, you should also be able to shift your elbow outward. This will allow extra room for the string to miss your arm. I used to tell young people that arm guards are only made for holding their shirt or jacket sleeves out of the strings way. It was never meant as a protector for the skin. It was designed for archers that shoot long bows or recurve bows because they had a tendency to draw too long (again, to get the speed) thus putting the arm in the strings path. Good luck with the bow and try shifting your elbow outward to see if your string misses your arm.